Thursday, April 21, 1977

Crispa, Toyota fined P5,000 (April 21, 1977)

PBA Commissioner Leo Prieto fined
Crispa and Toyota P5,000 each for their post-game rumble in the
opener of the 1977 PBA season, an incident that prompted Metrocom
officials to arrest players from both teams.

Crispa, Toyota fined P5,000

By Al Mendoza

Bulletin Today

Published Friday April 22, 1977

Philippine Basketball Association
Commissioner Leo Prieto fined Toyota and Crispa P5,000 each yesterday
for their players' involvement in last Sunday's post-game rumble at
the Araneta Coliseum.

PBA legal counsel Rodrigo Salud said
the fines are appealable within 72 hours.

Toyota coach Dante Silverio was slapped
a fine of P1,000 after he was found guilty of cussing a referee
following a technical foul he got from referee Estefanio Bernos in
the dying seconds of the Toyota-Crispa match Sunday.

Crispa manager Danny Floro said last
night that he will appeal the fine imposed on him by Prieto. “Why
did he (Prieto) fine my team and Toyota with the same amount of
P5,000,” Floro asked.

Floro contended that one team should
have been slapped a bigger fine. “People might think that both
parties were guilty,” Floro added.

Floro said he will file today his
written appeal to Prieto.

Prieto furnished the Games and
Amusements Board, Toyota and Crispa with copies of his findings on
the rumble that prompted the Metrocom to arrest and detain all Toyota
and Crispa players Monday night at Fort Bonifacio.

Floro, when asked to comment on rumors
being floated around that Crispa players would be reverted to
amateurs, said: “I am willing to have my players return to the
amateur fold for the sake of the national interest.” He added: “I
will try to convince my players to become amateurs again.”

Floro said that he has not talked with
Lito Puyat, president of the Basketball Association of the
Philippines and of FIBA, the matter regarding amateurs.

Professional players can now revert to
amateurs following a recent directive from the FIBA, the
international body governing amateur basketball, that pro cagers from
the Philippines can become amateurs purposely for the coming world
basketball championships slated next year.

Prieto, in his findings, said he was
able to pinpoint the person who instigated the rumble that left many
injured, including a lady ringside spectator who was hit on the right
waist by an empty soft drink bottle hurled from the bleachers.

According to Salud, the PBA
commissioner admitted responsibility over the rumble that occurred
last Sunday.

Salud said the commissioner thought it
was his duty to have the teams go out separately from the court after
the game.

“But he was thrown off guard when
some players from both sides shook hands right after the game, thus,
allowing both teams to head for their respective dugouts together,”
Salud said.

Salud said he had given Brig. Gen.
Prospero Olivas, Metrocom commander, a transmittal letter that
contained the findings of Prieto.